US President Donald Trump has sparked a firestorm of criticism in Japan after sharing an AI-generated "brainwashing song" video titled "Thank You President Trump" on his Truth Social platform, in which he is depicted as Naruto Uzumaki, the protagonist of the globally beloved anime and manga series Naruto. The clip, approximately one minute long, features surreal AI-generated imagery of Trump superimposed onto Naruto in his signature orange-and-black outfit, alongside other scenes of the president riding a camel, standing in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and planting the American flag on the moon. The lyrics include lines such as "Everybody loves Trump!"
The video has prompted a fierce backlash among Japanese anime fans, with nearly 20,000 people now having signed an online petition protesting the unauthorised use of classic anime imagery for political and military propaganda. The petition — titled "Protect Japanese Manga" and hosted on Change.org — was initially launched in March after the White House posted a video that spliced footage of US military strikes on Iran. The petition has been submitted to the Japanese government.
According to the petition, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently lodged a request with the US Embassy in Japan regarding the unauthorised use of Yu-Gi-Oh! and Nintendo game content on the official White House X account. Pokémon Company International has also condemned Trump's use of its imagery, stating that it had no involvement in the creation or distribution of the content and that no permission was granted for the use of its intellectual property.
"For many years, these works have inspired audiences around the world by conveying values such as courage, friendship, and perseverance," the petition reads. "Because of this, many fans feel concerned when images from these works appear to be used in political or military contexts that may differ from the intentions of the original creators or rights holders."
The official Yu-Gi-Oh! account on X, stated at the time of the March incident, saying that the original creators and anime staff were not involved in any way, and no permission was given for the use of the intellectual property in question. An official statement from the Yu-Gi-Oh! rights holders similarly confirmed that no authorisation was granted for the White House's use of their content, underscoring that the company has no ties with the US government.
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